Method for making a sensor device using a graphene layer

Abstract

A graphene layer is generated on a substrate. A plastic material is deposited on the graphene layer to at least partially cover the graphene layer. The substrate is separated into at least two substrate pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor device comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a graphene layer disposed over the substrate; 
 a plastic material disposed over the graphene layer; 
 electrical contacts coupled to the graphene layer; and 
 a polymer foil disposed over the plastic material, wherein the polymer foil comprises an opening exposing the plastic material. 
 
     
     
       2. The sensor device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor housing that accommodates the substrate, the graphene layer and the plastic material, wherein the sensor housing comprises an opening exposing the plastic material. 
     
     
       3. The sensor device of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor housing comprises a molded encapsulating material. 
     
     
       4. The sensor device of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor housing comprises a hollow housing. 
     
     
       5. The sensor device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an integrated circuit configured to measure an electrical resistance between the electrical contacts coupled to the graphene layer. 
     
     
       6. The sensor device of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material disposed over the graphene layer comprises the plastic material partially disposed over the graphene layer. 
     
     
       7. The sensor device of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylenterephtalate. 
     
     
       8. The sensor device of  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyvinylidene. 
     
     
       9. An arrangement comprising:
 a carrier comprising carrier contacts; and 
 a sensor device comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a graphene layer disposed over the substrate; 
 a plastic material partially disposed over the graphene layer, wherein the plastic material is deposited in a pre-structured, patterned form on the graphene layer to only cover specific zones of the graphene layer; and 
 electrical contacts coupled to the graphene layer, 
 
 wherein the electrical contacts of the sensor device are electrically connected to the carrier contacts of the carrier. 
 
     
     
       10. The arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the electrical contacts of the sensor device are electrically connected to the carrier contacts via solder connections. 
     
     
       11. The arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the graphene layer and the plastic material face a top surface of the carrier. 
     
     
       12. The arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the carrier is a printed circuit board (PCB). 
     
     
       13. The arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the plastic material comprises at least one of a polyethylenterephtalate and polyvinylidene. 
     
     
       14. An arrangement comprising:
 a leadframe; and 
 a sensor device comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a graphene layer disposed over the substrate; 
 a plastic material disposed over the graphene layer, wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylenterephtalate; and 
 electrical contacts coupled to the graphene layer, 
 
 wherein the electrical contacts of the sensor device are electrically connected to the leadframe. 
 
     
     
       15. The arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the electrical contacts of the sensor device are electrically connected to the leadframe via solder connections. 
     
     
       16. The arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the electrical contacts of the sensor device are electrically connected to the leadframe via bond wires. 
     
     
       17. The arrangement of  claim 14 , further comprising a housing that accommodates the leadframe, the substrate, the graphene layer and the plastic material, wherein the sensor housing comprises an opening exposing the plastic material. 
     
     
       18. The arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the housing accommodates a portion of the leadframe. 
     
     
       19. The arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the housing comprises a molded encapsulating material. 
     
     
       20. A lead less package comprising:
 a metal chip pad, a first metal contact and a second metal contact disposed in a bottom surface of the package; 
 a semiconductor chip disposed on the metal chip pad; 
 a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact disposed at a top surface of the semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chip comprises an integrated circuit configured to measure an empirical parameter between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; 
 a first metal layer connection and a second metal layer connection, wherein the first metal layer connection connects the first electrical contact to the first metal contact and wherein the second metal layer connection connects the second electrical contact to the second metal contact; 
 a graphene layer disposed over the semiconductor chip, wherein the graphene layer connects the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and 
 a plastic material disposed over the graphene layer. 
 
     
     
       21. The lead less package of  claim 20 , wherein the plastic material completely covers the graphene layer. 
     
     
       22. The lead less package of  claim 20 , wherein the plastic material comprises at least one of a polyethylenterephtalate and polyvinylidene. 
     
     
       23. A sensor device comprising:
 an encapsulation body; 
 a substrate disposed in the encapsulation body; 
 a redistribution layer disposed on the substrate and the encapsulation body, wherein a first trace of the redistribution layer connects a first chip electrical contact to a first contact terminal on a first fan-out area of the encapsulation body and wherein a second trace of the redistribution layer connects a second chip electrical contact to a second contact terminal on a second fan out area of the encapsulation body; 
 a graphene layer disposed over the substrate and connected to a third chip electrical contact and a fourth chip electrical contact; and 
 a plastic material disposed over the graphene layer. 
 
     
     
       24. The sensor device of  claim 23 , wherein the plastic material completely covers the graphene layer. 
     
     
       25. The sensor device of  claim 23 , wherein the plastic material comprises at least one of a polyethylenterephtalate and polyvinylidene.